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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24019465">The Sea, The Sky, The Boat</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/milkconk/pseuds/milkconk'>milkconk</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Just Roll With It (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, ME - Freeform, because, he be on the boat, it wont be perfect, ramble writing, so please forgive, this is just</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:26:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,043</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24019465</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/milkconk/pseuds/milkconk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Contemplation on a boat. Br'aad leaving and returning.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>44</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Sea, The Sky, The Boat</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ok squad this isn't gonna be all that polished because this is just me up at 2 in the morning or something writing as thoughts came into my head. Ramble Writing. Makin' it up as I went. There's no real plot, it's just some lowkey Vengolor brother angst type stuff.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sky glowed orange and pink in the sunset, and Br’aad felt his resolve shatter. All alone. On his own. What the hell was he supposed to do now?</p><p>The boat rocked nauseatingly, but it didn’t make the boy feel too ill. He sat, head in hands, on deck, ignoring the water spraying over his back. </p><p>How could he have done this? This was possibly the worst decision he’d ever made. The dull, dark pain throbbing in his chest became a little sharper, and another tear rolled down his cheek.</p><p>He’d lost his temper, that much was true, but so had Sylnan. It wasn’t all his fault. And Sylnan hadn’t even tried to understand.</p><p>This was too much, though. The moment the boat had started moving he had been plunged into regret. His fear kept his feet stuck to the boat, though, and he didn’t get off. He didn’t do anything- and then it was too late.</p><p>Ocean surrounding on all sides. A boat full of drunks and thieves who wanted to know all about Br’aad’s ‘exciting’ purple tattoos. The taste of salt somehow permanently in his mouth.</p><p>Br’aad was sick of purple. He thought he could never see the colour again in his life and be fine. It used to be one of his favourite colours, and it made Br’aad wonder whether his patron had used that against him. A colour he associated with his childhood- his brother- Snatched away and used as shackles. </p><p>In his dreams he was surrounded by purple ribbons. The dreams were rarely scary or upsetting, but when they were they left Br’aad feeling uneasy for days. The one constant was the ribbons.</p><p>In one particular dream, Br’aad was stood with Sylnan, engaged in energetic conversation. Surrounded by those ribbons, they spoke for what had felt like hours. And then all of a sudden, the conversation came to a stop, and Sylnan’s smile dropped. He started yelling, pointing his finger at Br’aad with so much anger. He looked so betrayed. And then he dropped onto his back. Face turned up, his eyes went blank, and Br’aad could do nothing. </p><p>Br’aad had woken with a yelp, causing a couple of sailors to curse. He ignored them, and moved up to the deck of the boat. He stared off into the sky, taking in the thousands and thousands of stars reflected in the mirror like water. The moon was large in the sky- but not quite full. </p><p>That night Br’aad didn’t cry. He stared and stared, but not a single tear fell from his eyes. He’d felt strangely… empty. Maybe he was drained of emotion. Or maybe he’d never felt anything at all. The sky stretched on and on and on and on. </p><p>The sky was a constant. Something Br’aad could count on. In the wharf, sometimes you couldn’t quite see the sky for all the clouds and smoke and dirty brick buildings. But out on the ocean the sky was all there was. </p><p>Sometimes there was rain, even storms, but still the sky was prominent, despite being covered by clouds. They blocked out the light, but never quite the blue. Such a lot of blue. A colour Br’aad wasn’t quite tired of yet. </p><p>Night was best. It made the purple look grey, and Br’aad could look at the stars. He liked to imagine people in the past staring up at these same stars and thinking about the future. </p><p>The Wharf never really seemed to turn off. People always moving, speaking, making deals. Such a constant bustle. And now, in this endless sky and sea, Br’aad could barely imagine that many people.</p><p>He would talk to some people. He’d promised it to himself. He would make a couple friends and be jolly and upbeat as soon as he’d finished mourning. Mourning the loss of his childhood and the loss of his brother. Because he’d lost his brother. There was no way Sylnan would let him return after this.</p><p>He didn’t feel normal. Or alright. He knew he should talk to someone, or at least try to process his thoughts, but at least he was thinking. At least he was surviving.</p><p>—</p><p>Br’aad wrung his hands nervously as the boat rocked. The crate wasn’t nearly comfortable, and his arms hurt from a blow he’d taken recently. But what he was most focused on were his nerves. Writhing and turning over in his stomach. </p><p>He made some friends. Spoke to a couple of people. He was energetic and excited and almost joyous. He blocked out the anxiety as best he could. </p><p>As night fell, he stared out into the water. He’d expected to be back here a lot faster. In fact, when he’d been on that boat for the first time, he thought he’d be going straight home. And then he didn’t. He couldn’t. </p><p>He couldn’t face his brother. His brother who he couldn’t imagine could possibly love him anymore. His brother who he had betrayed and who had betrayed him. He couldn’t face the wharf and its stench. It’s tendency to kick down people who were already low. He couldn’t face the boat ride. So long and lonely. So much time with his thoughts and so much time with the stars. So much time with his purple covered arms.</p><p>The sky was mostly blue, but seeped into more oranges and reds. Br’aad spent as much time talking as possible. The more he spoke the less he thought. The less he thought the better he felt.</p><p> </p><p>The boat came to a halt, and Br’aad and his new friends made their way onto dry land. Br’aad glanced back at the sea. His mind was so full. </p><p>His brother found him and… he acted like nothing had happened. A relief and a letdown. The year of preparation for this moment and this was all? A greeting and back to normal. But not normal. Something was disjointed. A slight change in tone, a tension in the air. Something just a little off. </p><p>If there had been some massive argument, some big upheaval, Br’aad would have been able to relax. But that little bit of tension. That edge to certain words. </p><p>Everything was going to break. He could just tell. It was only a matter of time.</p>
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